Sectional dividing strip for floors



July 28, 1931. P. GALASSI 1,816,727

SECTIONAL DI VIDING STRIP FOR FLOORS Filed March 15. 1950 I ATTORNEY Patented July 28, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PASQUALE GALASSI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SECTIONAL DIVIDING STRIP FOR FLOORS Application filed March 15, 1930. Serial No. 436,140.

1:, variety.

The upper layer which is generally placed in position after the foundation layer has been allowed to harden to a sufficient degree of consistency, is generally divided into a number of panels or units in a predetermined arrangement, which are obtained by outlining the desired design by means of dividing strips placed on or through the foundation layer.

These bars are generally made of relatively soft metal such as brass for instance, the wearing qualities of which are approximately equal to those of the floor itself; and according to the nature of the floor and of the design to be produced the dividing strips may be of various thicknesses and lengths.

Relatively thin strips may readily be obtained out of sheet metal, and are suitable for floors of moderate size; however, relatively large floors, or floors composed of relatively large units, call for strips having sufiicient rigidity to Withstand the lateral pressure of the material without bulging whenv the floor is laid.

These heavier strips are also generally made out of sheet metal but brass being expensive material, their use materially increases the cost of the floor. At times the ornamental features are such as to require extra thick metallic strips showing through the material, and in these cases, the cost is still higher.

It is therefore important to decrease the cost of the material employed as much as possible, this result being achieved by using brass only at the top of the strip and using a less expensive material for the body thereof. The resulting saving in the cost of material is generally sufiicient to compensate the increased labor costs entailed by the joining of the two sections into a single structure.

In another application, entitled Bimetallie dividing strip for floors, Ser. No. 380,- 669, copending herewith, I have described and claimed a type of strip comprising a relatively thick upper section provided with a longitudinal groove along its lower edge and a relatively thin lower section having its upper edge forced within said groove so as to form a unitary structure with said upper section. V

In strips of this type however, it is usu ally necessary to provide anchoring means lntegral with the lower section, requiring additional labor and additional tools.

In another patent application, entitled VTerrazzo floor strips, Ser. No. 376,809, I

have described a somewhat similar strip in which however, theupper section is formed with a longitudinally extending tenon and the upper edge of the lower section is bent to form a channeled chamber adapted to register and to interlock with said tenon.

In still another patent application entitled Interchangeable fioor strip, Ser. No. 433,317, also copending herewith, I have described another type of strip in which the upper section is provided with a laterally extending flange and the lower section is formed with parts offset therefrom to embrace said flange. The fiange can be obtained by drawing or rolling bars of a special shape or else it may be obtained by bending outwardly the lower edge of an originally flat strip.

I have found that an upper section made integral with a laterally extending flange by a rolling or drawing or extruding process, possesses certain advantages peculiarly its own which make this type of section adapted for use in connection with a great variety of strips in which the upper section is completed by a lower section attached to it or interlocking therewith.

The primary object of the present invention is therefore to provide a general type of dividing strip consisting of an upper and a lower section connected to each other, the

characteristic of said strip being that the upper section consists of a drawn or rolled 0r extruded bar having a substantially flat upper portion and a flange laterally extending from or in proximity of its lower edge.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a strip of the character specified, an upper section havinga special out-line, affording means for effecting a simple and permanent connection with the lower section.

. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will more fully appear as the description proceeds and will be set forth and claimed in'the appended claims.

Various embodiments of my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figs. 1 to 7 are fragmentary views in perspective of various dividing strips embodying my invention in one form or another;

Fig. 8 is an end View of another dividing strip embodying my invention in a still different form;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the upper section of the strip i'llus trated in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary View in perspective ofthe lower section of the strip illustrated in Fig. 8; and p j F ig. 11 is a vertical section of terrazzo floor illustrating the strip shown in Fig. 5

in position.

The strip illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises an upper section 20 and a lower section 21. The upper section 20 is in the form of a drawn or rolled or extruded bar comprisin a vertical relatively thick main portion 22 having an uninterrupted upper edge surface 23 and arelatively thin longitudinal flange 24' extending laterally of the base thereof. I

The lower surface of said ba'r'is provided with a longitudinal groove 25 within which is inserted and retained the upper edge 26 of lower section 21 said lower section being in the form of a relatively thin strip of metal. v

The upper edge 26 of lower section 21 may be forced in position so as to be re tained in its connected relation to the upper section by friction, as described and claimed in my copending application #380,669 ontitled Bin'i'et'allic dividing strip for floors, or else it may be secured in place in any other suitable manner; the characteristic of the invention residing in the fa'ctth'at the upper section of the strip is in the form of a relatively rigid bar made integral with a laterally projecting flange adapted to act as positioning means determining the depth at which the structure is to be forced through the lower layer of the floor, and adapted to also act as anchoring means securely retaining the strip in position after the floor is completed.

The strip illustrated in Fig. 2 also comprises an upper section 27 and a lower section 28, said upper section consisting of a relatively rigid drawn or rolled or extruded bar comprising a vertical body portion 29 having an uninterrupted upper edge surface 30 and a flange 31 extending laterally of the base thereof. Said flange is thick enough to permit of a longitudinal groove 32 being out along its side, anrtthe upper edge of the lower section 28 is bent at right angle as seen at 33 and is inserted and retained with in said groove 82. I j y The upper section of the strip illustrated in Fig. 3 comprises a main body portion 34 having a flange 35 extending laterally of the base thereof, formed integral therewith. The outer end of said flange is shaped to form a dovetailed tenon 36 and the upper edge of the lower section 37 is bent laterally against the lower surface of flange 35 and around said tenon to embrace the same, forming a longitudinal dovetailed chamber 38 interlocking with said tenon.

In Fig. 4' I illustrate a strip in which the upper section is similar to that of Fig. 1, comprising a main body portion 39 and a flangeflO" laterally extending of the base thereof The lower section 41 is in this case formed with its upper edge bent laterally at right angle theretoto'forni a longitudinal flange 42 abutting against the'lower surface of bar'- 39l0 and connected to flange by means of rivets 43 or by means of spot welding or otherwise.

The strip shown in Fig. 5 also comprises an upper sectionsimilar to those of the strips shown in Figs. 1 and 4 comprising a main body portion 44 and a flange l5 extc"1i'd ing laterally of the base thereof. The side of the body portion from which the flange extends is provided just above the flange with an inwardly directed longitudinal groove 46, and the lower section 47 has its upper edge bent laterally thereof to'form' a flange 48 abutting against the lower surface of flange and bent Up ardly and then inwardly to embrace said fiange lfi, its outer edge 49 being inserted within groove 4 6 and being retained therein in any suitable man'ner. If desirerLthe groove may be made to tightly it edge '49 so that by exerting sid'ewise pressure the edge may be forced within said gro'oveand the two sections will be securely joined to each other.

Another manner of effecting a positive connection between the two sections is shown to embrace flange The edge 49 of said I lower section is inserted within groove 46, the width of which may be such as to permit said edge 49 to be inserted therein by hand. After this is done, upwardly directed pressure is exerted against the lower surface of flanges 45, 48', so as to bend them slightly upwardly, as shown, and as a result of this operation, edge 49 Will be pinched and securely clamped between the upper surface of flange 45 and the upper surface of groove Still another construction of dividing strip embodying my invention is shown in Fig. 7 where the upper section 50 embraces a main body portion 51 having an uninterrupted upper edge surface 52, and a flange 53 laterally extending from the base thereof. A lateral rib member '54 projects downwardly from the outer edge of said flange and is provided with a longitudinal vertical groove 55 along its lower surface, said groove affording means for the insertion therethrough of upper edge 56 and lower section 57 in a manner similar to that described in connection with Fig. 1.

The strip illustrated in Figs. 8, 9, 10 comprises an upper section which is made in the form of a rigid rolled or drawn or extruded bar comprising a main body portion 58 having an uninterrupted upper edge surface 59 formed integral with a relatively thin flange 60 extending laterally of the base thereof, and formed also with a longitudinal bead member 61 projecting downwardly from said base. The lower section 62 has its upper edge slit at spaced intervals, so as to form tongues which are bent outwardly and upwardly alternately at one side and then at the other to form lugs such as 63, 63 each embracing one of the sides of bead member 61.

In this manner a very rigid structure is obtained which does not require the cutting of a longitudinal groove along one of the surfaces of the upper section.

It will be observed that the flange made integral with the main portion of the upper section in each case has the double function of insuring an extreme rigidity of the strip and providing positioning and anchoring means therefor. Its positioning and an choring functions are clearly illustrated in Fig. 11 where 65 designates a floor foundation, 66 is the lower layer of a terrazzo floor and 67 is the upper layer.

The dividing strip which is of the type illustrated in Fig. 5 has its lower section 47 inserted through the-lower layer of the floor while the same is still in a plastic condition, to a depth determined by the lower surface of flange'48 restingagainst the upper surface of the lower layer 66. The distance between the lower surface of flange 48 and theedge surface of the strip is equivalent to the depth of the upper layerof the terrazzo floor 67 as shown.

It will be observed that flange 48 determines not onlythe depth at which the strip is to be inserted through the lower layer but also insures its remaining in a vertical position due to the leveling effect of the flange 48 against the upper surface of the lower layer. Y

It is obvious that my invention may be embodied in strips of various designs and constructions different from those shown; the drawings will therefore be understood as being intended for illustrative purposes only and not in a limiting sense. Accordingly, I reserve the right to carry my invention into practice in all those ways and maniers which may enter, fairly, into the'scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a dividing strip for terrazzo and like floors the combination, with a. relatively thin lower section, of a relatively thick upper section connected thereto, said upper section having an uninterrupted upper edge, and being formed integral with a flat continuous flange laterally. extending from its lower portion.

2. In a dividing strip for terrazzo and like floors the combination, with a relatively thin lower section, of an upper section connected thereto, said upper section being in the form of a bar having a rela tively thick vertical portion, and a relatively thin flat continuous flange integral with and extending laterally of the lower end of said vertical portion.

3. A dividing strip for terrazzo and like I floors, comprising an upper section consisting of a bar having a relatively thick vertical portion and a relatively thin flat con tinuous flange integral with and extending laterally of the base thereof, and a relatively thin lower section having its upper edge connected to said base.

4. A dividing strip for terrazzo and like floors, comprising an upper section consisting of a bar having a relatively thick vertical portion and a relatively thin flange integral with and extending laterally of the base thereof, said vertical portion having a longitudinal groove along one of its sides directly above and adjoining said flange, and a relatively thin lower section having its upper edge portion bent about said flange and having its; edge inserted within said groove.

5. A dividing strip for terrazzo and like floors, comprising arr upper section consist ing of; a bar having a relatively thick vertical portion and a relatively thin flange integral with and extending laterally of the base thereof, said vertical portion having a longitudinal groove along one of its sides directly above and adjoining said flange, and a relatively thin lower section having its upper edge portion bent about said flange and having its edge inserted Within said groove, sa d flange being sllghtly bent up- '1:- Wardly to securely clamp said edge in position.

PASQUALE GALASSI. 

